


we don't need to whisper

by crucios



Category: One Direction (Band), X Factor RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-23
Updated: 2012-05-23
Packaged: 2017-11-05 21:39:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/411282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crucios/pseuds/crucios
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>See, the thing is – and Liam means this in completely the <i>nicest</i> way possible – Louis is an idiot. Not in the sense of course that he has zero intelligence, but rather that he does stupid - <i>really stupid</i> - things without thinking.</p>
            </blockquote>





	we don't need to whisper

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted at Livejournal in June 2011.

~~~

See, the thing is – and Liam means this in completely the _nicest_ way possible – Louis is an idiot. Not in the sense of course that he has zero intelligence, but rather that he does stupid - _really stupid_ \- things without thinking.

Like outing himself, and by extension _Liam_ (which really, is highly unfair in Liam's opinion, because he's quite sure he should have at least had a _say_ in the matter of his public outing) in the middle of an incredibly busy shopping center. Just like that.

It's nothing spectacular, in fact on a scale of one to spectacular Liam thinks it's probably only a five, maybe a little less; there's not exactly a standard rating system for such things so he can't be sure. They're in Hollister, a shop Liam thinks they should probably just _buy out_ when they're _really_ rich (it's third on his list after: Support Family and Save the Dolphins - the latter was really Louis' addition, but Liam agreed to it while a little not-so-sober, which apparently is akin to it being contracted and _written in blood_ in Louis' book, so he figures he's not getting out of it), when Louis takes his hand.

Liam hears the _clickclickclick_ of the cameras outside, and he tries to pull his hand away but Louis has it in some sort of vice-grip - which okay, kind of hurts a little - and when Liam tries to flash him his best stern, _Louis Tomlinson, stop what you're doing at once_ look, Louis looks entirely unfazed, his gaze fixed and determined. Liam tries to play it all off in his head, because well, they're a touchy-feely type of band, it's been all over the press. _Everyone_ knows. So it's totally plausible that they can chalk this up to all the bromance that's been going around and carry on along their merry way. Except he's pretty sure Louis has other plans.

Liam blinks against another flash of a camera and turns to Louis, in the middle of Hollister for the love of God, and says: "Louis, what are you _doing?_ "

"I'm done," Louis says with a shrug and a smile, hand still plastered to Liam's.

"Right. Okay," Liam says, acutely aware of the watchful eyes on the two of them. "And what exactly does that _mean?_ "

Louis takes a step, and suddenly he is a lot closer than is really socially acceptable right now. Liam frowns, eyes questioning, and Louis just fucking _grins_ in that stupid, cheeky, unreserved way of his. Liam wants to hit him. With something metal and lethal.

"It means, Liam Payne," Louis says boldly and a little too-loud, "that I love you, and that I'm done hiding it."

"Oh."

Liam splutters and gesticulates wildly, and Louis _laughs_ , like this is all incredibly hilarious, when it's really, really not. Because they definitely can't chalk this one up to bromance, and oh god, they are _dead_. They are so completely, absolutely, no-return dead. If the paps don't eat them alive, Simon will kill them, or banish them to an island in the middle of _nowhere_ where they will have to kill to survive, and they'll eventually go crazy and end up trying to _eat_ each other; Liam saw that in a movie once, it's completely plausible.

"No, listen," Louis says, his voice a little urgent and perhaps privy now to Liam's _nervous breakdown_. "I'm done, Liam, okay? I'm sick of having to pretend like it's all ‘just a bromance’, and I'm sick of being forced to tell people I'm single when I'm really, _really_ not. I love you, and we're _awesome_ together, I want everyone to know."

"But, Simon," Liam protests weakly. "I really don't want to have to _eat your flesh_ for survival, Louis. Really. I can't and I won't. Oh my god, do you realize what you're doing right now?"

Louis kisses him then, close and intimate. Whether it's to shut him up or to calm him down, Liam's not be entirely certain, and he stills, arms hanging awkwardly at his side. Then Louis' hands cup his face and well okay, they might as well dig the hole deeper – it can be the grave that they'll need when Simon gets a hold of them. So Liam kisses him back and tries hard not to think about tomorrow's headlines.

When they break apart Louis drags him to a slightly darker corner, by a very nice display of shirts – that Liam might consider adding to his basket if his whole life wasn’t _crashing down around him_ – as if it really gives them any more cover from the onslaught of paparazzi outside, and says: "You okay with this?"

Liam refrains from smacking him upside the head. "Am I _okay_ with this?" He looks around briefly at the cameras still flashing in the distance, at the people ferociously scribbling their dialogue onto little notepads in black biro - well, probably. "I don't really have much of a choice, Louis."

"Yeah, I. I'm sorry," Louis says, his face a little crestfallen. "It just seemed. I don't know. Right."

"Of course, why wouldn't it? Frankly I can't think of a better way we could have done this. Or, well, maybe Topman instead of Hollister, I'm not sure this shop quite has the right vibe for _GAY SCANDAL: spontaneous, public outing of two of five of One Direction_. You could have oh I don’t know, consulted me."

"Okay, okay. It was stupid," Louis mumbles and his eyes look _sad_ and suddenly Liam feels pretty terrible. "I'm sorry, I just want to stop hiding."

Liam sighs and then he smiles the brightest smile of reassurance he can actually manage right now and shrugs. "Yeah, well. It's a good job I love you too, really, isn't it?"

Louis kisses him again just for good measure.

~~~

_Two days later._

**Sugarscape:** We're almost at the end of the interview and we figure we should really get this question in now, because we have had an _influx_ of emails about this. So let's settle this, shall we? Tell us Louis, and don't break our hearts here, are you single?

 **Louis:** Really, really not. Not single and very in love. Sorry! You might know my boyfriend though, Liam Payne. You know, Justin Bieber hair, sings in a band, um [pause] I can't remember their name. They're pretty good though.

~~~


End file.
